Can someone explain to me the use of a light that makes <10 lumens?

[xcel730]

Back when I was in pursuit of flashaholism, I was all about searching for the most compact and brightest lights. I still love bright lights, but now I've been leaning more towards miniscule lights that squeeze out just enough lumens for me to see in pitch black.

 

[Marduke]

Excellent light for around the house is the Photon Proton Pro. I keep mine beside my bed, with a tritium vial clipped to the end. I can easily find it in the dark without knocking other stuff over on the nightstand, and it ramps up in red from VERY dim. The clip is wide and comfortable, so it rids easily on an elastic waste band in the evenings also.

The red allows me to venture around the house while not disturbing anyone, while also avoiding obstacles.

My wife uses what I used prior to me getting the Proton, a 2xAAA Minimag using a 5mm deep red direct driven on 2xNiMH cells. There is a tritium vial attached to it as well.

 

[2manybikes]

Imagine a dark moonless light with no ambient light pollution. Everything is covered with bright white snow. Then you turn on your 60 lumen light to see what the dog is sticking his nose into. That will knock your socks off. 10 lumens is more than enough. Even when the pavment is cleared but there is snow in the yards, you might want to see an animal etc. in the snow. If you blind yourself temporarily you can't see some things on the black pavement. Like glare ice. Or something else left behind by another dog, that you don't want to step in.

 

[herrgurka]

All a matter of context and circumstances, I suppose. When I am out skating at night I need a lot of light, and I mean a lot, preferably from a thrower so I can illuminate the track and scan for cracks or obstacles in advance. When I'm in the forest at night I don't need that kind of light at all, <10 lumen is more than adequate.

 

[deusexaethera]

Must have never slept in a house with young children. No matter how good your night vision, it only takes tripping once on toys and smacking your shin to realize it's good to use a dim light to navigate through the house at night.

My brother is ten years younger than me. There were plenty of times I did the stuff parents do when he was an infant and toddler. We had one nightlight in the bathroom and that was it. Strangely, there were never any toys laying around -- probably because if there had been a situation like what you described, heads would've rolled for it.

I do recall walking down the hall to my bedroom at night, dragging my fingertips on the wall and listening to the echoes of my footsteps, so I guess I wasn't relying solely on vision. Do other people not do things like that? I always figured it was kind of an instinct.

 

[deusexaethera]

If you live near an urban area, there's enough light scattering at night that it really isn't "pitch dark".

The house I grew up in had forest (not just trees) on three sides, and an unlit road on the fourth. That's probably why I wear the eye mask now.

But yes, there's enough light coming into the house I live in now that I can make a sandwich at night without turning on the lights.

 

[deusexaethera]

I live in a place that has these amazing things called light switches that operate electric lights. Late night runs to the bathroom, fear of waking the wife by turning on a light, reading under the covers, and checking on children at 4am are excuses to use a flashlight, not reasons. For me, flashlights are tools to be used to illuminate things beyond the scope of normal lighting. I refuse to slink around my own house at night with a flashlight like a burglar, it is creepy and weird.

See, that's what I'm about. If I've been laying in bed for hours, then I've got my night vision and I don't need a tiny light. Then again, if something important happens and I really need to see, I'll turn on the light.

After reading all three pages of this thread, it seems to me that the situations people are using 1-2 lumen lights in are either tactical in nature, overly-cautious (in my opinion), or situations in which I would simply use what my mother gave me to see where I'm going. That's probably why I didn't understand before.

The example of checking on a sleeping baby is apt, but for my part I would just shine the light at the ceiling or the opposite wall instead of in the baby's face. The example of hunting or spelunking is also apt, and I guess I don't have a reasonable alternative for those situations (except maybe a red light instead), but I'm not likely to do either of those in my life.

 

[deusexaethera]

Imagine a dark moonless light with no ambient light pollution. Everything is covered with bright white snow. Then you turn on your 60 lumen light to see what the dog is sticking his nose into. That will knock your socks off. 10 lumens is more than enough. Even when the pavment is cleared but there is snow in the yards, you might want to see an animal etc. in the snow. If you blind yourself temporarily you can't see some things on the black pavement. Like glare ice. Or something else left behind by another dog, that you don't want to step in.

Dog owners...

You know, cats don't crap in the middle of the yard, and they certainly don't make you go outside with them while they crap in the middle of the yard.

I like Siamese cats. They talk a lot, they play fetch, and they like to cuddle.

 

[deusexaethera]

I still keep a green LED Pal Light on my night stand and I face the always on lens toward me when I sleep, I can not tell you how many times I use it every night, Bathroom runs or to find the TV remote or if the power goes out. It is just right for navagating around the house with out disturbing anyone else, It also helps me from falling over the Cat at night (she sleeps at the bottom of the stairs sometimes) I love low power for night time use when all I need to do is find something or get around the house.

Heh. Two thoughts:

1. SLEEP at night.
2. If you were walking down the stairs towards a Siamese cat, as you approached you would start to hear purring that you'd think must be coming from a cheetah. You'd never trip over it.

 

[herrgurka]

Dog owners...
I like Siamese cats. They talk a lot, they play fetch, and they like to cuddle.

To keep this thread on track and away from the dog vs. cat war I have to say that I'd like to have a cat's night vision. And whiskers 🙂, they could replace your finger against the wall technique. And I could do with even less light in the forest. And I could sleep the whole day without anybody thinking it strange......

 

[RyanA]

Not many flashlights can compete with an AC powered bulb in terms of brighness, mostly becuase most household lights hover around the 45watt range (wich is a lot of juice). However low powered led lights (around 1/2 a watt typically) have them beat by MILES in terms of efficiency. The main idea is to have a source or light independent of AC power. 10 lumens although it seems paltry now that we have 200 lumen plus. But at one time it was, and still is a decent amount of light, especially considering that an incan mini-mag is the best light most people know of. Having workable output and a runtime that is listed in days is a good thing, especailly if you're the sort that goes off the grid every once and a while. There are no light-switches on trees in the woods incase you want to turn the sun on.

 

[xcel730]

I don't know if applies to anyone else, but if I have to use the bathroom in the middle of the night, and if I turn on the house lights, I have a hard time falling back asleep. So for me, it's either no lights or low lights.

 

[Oddjob]

Any excuse to use my toys is what I say. I have many multilevel lights and if I can use it on a low level that I don't normally use then more fun for me even if I can make my way to the bathroom with out it.

 

[powernoodle]

fear of waking the wife by turning on a light . . . are excuses to use a flashlight, not reasons.

Wow - I'm going to try waking my wife up for no dang good reason at 4 a.m. rather than being courteous. Why didn't I think of that!

 

[Zatoichi]

The example of checking on a sleeping baby is apt, but for my part I would just shine the light at the ceiling or the opposite wall instead of in the baby's face.

There might be nothing wrong with that, but it makes less sense than using a light of the appropriate brightness IMO. Also if the light was pretty bright, the ceiling bounce would still wake some kids (I know this 😀).

 

[LEDrock]

I agree with those who have mentioned that dark-adapted vision needs very little light. When I go to the bathroom in the middle of the night, and my electric rechargeable shaver is plugged in there, the charging indicator light on it provides all the light necessary to light up the entire bathroom! So I just use my flashlight (a battery drainer type with low batts.) to see my way there and back.

 

[deusexaethera]

I gotta say, I had no idea so many people had bathroom issues. This thread has been very illuminating...no, maybe...enlightening...no, um...hmm...:thinking:

Ya know, it's a lot easier to keep from watering the floor if you sit down on the damn toilet. You don't need any light for that.

 

[Swedpat]

The discussion of desirable lumens is interesting. The more I have been interesting and aware about flashlights the more I have learned me to appreciate not only very high brightness (that is fun!), but also low fully usable brightnesses. I don't always want high brightness. 10 lumens or less can be very usable during some situations when you don't want to be dazzled or loose the dark seeing.

I have several high tech flashlights like Fenix LD20, PD20, TK10, Tiablo A9 and more. But still I appreciate my Maglite 2D with Terralux Ministar1 dropin. It's claimed as 50 lumens but I measured around 25. Nice light when I don't want a very bright light! As a true flashoholic I don't use the household lights when I go to toilet at night, I use some flashlight...
And I would like to know the runtime, especially with my 12000mAh D NiMh batteries! I understand it will be LOOOONG runtime for that brightness level! Some day I will measure it...

To answer the original question: yes <10 lumens is great sometimes, it will correspond to the lowest brightness of LD20. :thumbsup:
Also it's fully adequate brightness if I get lost in the forest and need a light to see where I walk...

Regards, Patric

 

[Flight_Deck]

Extreme low is also the just the ticket for checking on sleeping children!

 

[Moonshadow]

Marduke:

. . . an elastic waste band . . .

I'm almost afraid to ask . . . 😱oo: